Giving Solace
by ImagingThings
Summary: After the Duel of Fates solace is given...


_**Disclaimer: **Do I really have to tell? Well... I don't own anything Star Wars... well... I have the DVD's but that's about it!_

He didn't know for how long he'd been sitting there, alone crying his heart out at the loss of the man who'd been like a father for him for the last 12 years. He didn't know how long he's been sitting there before the distant voices slowly came closer.

"In here. I think they're in here."

"Quick."

"Master Jinn."

"Qui-Gon! Obi-Wan."

Part of him knew that he ought to raise from his kneeling position on the floor and calmly come out and tell them that Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn was dead, but that he, Obi-Wan Kenobi, had killed the sith. Still, another part of him wished that they'd never find him, not yet anyway; he still had plenty of tears to cry.

As his mind struggled as to which way to take, which decision to make, he faintly heard the sound of running feet, a shocked 'no!' and the next he knew a pair of boyish arms had flung around him.

"I'm… I'm so sorry!" Anakin whispered as he quietly sobbed onto Obi-Wan's shoulder. At first the former padawan thought the boy was simply trying to find some comfort, some solace, in the midst of all the darkness, then slowly it dawned upon him; Anakin Skywalker wasn't trying to _find_ solace, he was trying to _give _it. Give it to the man who'd showed nothing but distrust towards him, who'd classified him as 'another pathetic life form'. For the former slave boy none of that mattered, the only thing there mattered in his eyes was that here was someone grieving; someone needing comfort.

Carefully he brought his arm around the shaking form of the boy; hugging him close, allowing the boy to hug him in return. Tears falling from two pairs of eyes.

Once again the sound of the voices, which had died away before, apparently the searchers had gone down a wrong cat-walk, came nearer.

"Padme!" Anakin yelled making Obi-Wan think about having to learn his padawan how to properly address the Queen. He already thought of the boy as his padawan, even though he weren't.

"Padme!" The boy yelled again. "We're in here."

Somehow they'd deactivated the force shields so there was no waiting before Queen Amidala, or Padme as Anakin knew her, fell to her knees beside them, she too wrapping her arms around the grieving jedi.

"I'm so sorry for your loss." She whispered, undoubtedly meaning every word of it.

"You two shouldn't be comforting me." he whispered. "after all, I am older than the two of you combined."

It was true; Anakin's nine years and Padme's fourteen years came just short of adding up to the twenty-five years he'd lived.

"That's true." Anakin stated, matter-of-factly. "but still, you're the one grieving. One day I'm sure it'll be one of us in pain and you being there."

No matter how hard he tried to protest, tell them to just leave him, they wouldn't.

After a while Amidala rose and walked out to the group assembled just outside the, now deactivated, force shields.

"The war has been won." She began, her voice slightly trembling. "The war has been won, but at a cost. Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn is dead."

Once again she had to stop. From his kneeling position, one arm lifting Qui-Gon's head and shoulder from the floor, the other arm holding the sobbing Anakin, Obi-Wan Kenobi listened as the fourteen-year-old queen made the speech he should've given.

"But, there is good news also; the horned foe has been killed. Obi-Wan Kenobi killed him."

A murmur of surprise went through the small crowd as the man who until recently had been just another jedi apprentice but now, with one stroke, had become a hero., a hero, mind you, who'd have preferred staying as apprentice if it meant his master lived, rose from the floor, carefully placing Qui-Gon's head back onto the floor.

"Come on Anakin." He whispered and led the boy towards the exit.

Just as they were about to leave that dreaded place they heard the Queen's voice once again.

"Nobody is to question him on the battle. When he's ready I'm sure he'll tell you himself."

A small smile edging around his mouth Obi-Wan went out to join the assembly, his hand still gripping Anakin's shoulder. Both in order to reassure the boy, but just as much, he realized, in order to reassure himself.

Like that they walked, the would-be pair of master and padawan, as they would walk so often in years to come. Towards the place where the queen stood with her handmaidens, captain Panaka, Governor Sio Bibble, the pilot Ric Olié, Jar Jar as well as some others neither of them recognized.

"Does anyone know who it was there blasted the droid control ship?"

He didn't know why he'd asked. Maybe because he felt like that brave pilot deserved some recognition too.

"Ooh, yes. We know" Ric Olié said smiling.

"Is there any chance I could meet that person?"

Wide smiles spread across each of the other's faces.

"Obi-Wan." Padme said amusement clear in her voice. "It was Anakin. Seemed like he took Qui-Gon's order of 'staying in the cock-pit' a little too serious."

For the first time since the battle had begun Obi-Wan was truly smiling. Maybe things would be okay after all. He just had to remember one thing; to be _very_ precise in what he meant when he told Anakin something. He was sure what Qui-Gon had meant was

"Stay in the cock-pit. On the ground!"

But hey, not like he hadn't once or twice, twisted something Qui-Gon had told him to do, making it better fit his own desires.

His hand still on Anakin's shoulder he went out to meet the members of the jedi council. Time was up to tell them his decision. Anakin would be his padawan, whether they liked it or not.


End file.
